The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron AF 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR LD and the Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD is the longer of the two lenses at 101mm. The Tamron AF 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR LD with a length of 84mm, is 17mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD also has a larger diameter of 80mm compared to the Tamron AF 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR LD's 73mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Tamron AF 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR LD weighs 420g, which means it is 140g (25%) lighter than the Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD which has a weight of 560g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron AF 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR LD has a filter size of 62mm whereas the Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 62mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron AF 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR LD:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron AF 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR LD and the Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Tamron AF 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR LD is also available in Nikon F (FX) , Sony Alpha and Pentax KAF mounts.
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD is also available in Nikon F (DX) mount.
Focal Range
Tamron AF 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR LD has a focal range of 28-300mm and
10.7X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
44.8 - 480mm.
On the other hand, the Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD has a focal range of 18-270mm and 15.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 28.8-432mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.